Lake of the Ozarks

Amendment 5 will clear the way for a casino to be placed in a popular vacation spot if approved.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially said that the plan didn’t receive enough signatures in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.

The Osage River Gaming & Convention Committee is asking a judge to reverse a decision by the Missouri secretary of state’s office that its initiative petition did not qualify for the statewide ballot because it was short on signatures.

Fundraising in the Republican and Democratic primaries for Missouri governor has exceeded $21 million, with the majority going to Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe. But the race for attorney general is also proving pricey.

If approved by Missouri voters, the development would include a hotel, convention center, restaurants and other attractions.

With more shoreline than the coast of California, the Lake of the Ozarks in mid-central Missouri is a popular tourist destination for land-locked Midwesterners. For decades, it's provided financial opportunities for locals and outside interests alike — but at what cost? The story of how this man-made body of water came to be involves corruption, jail time, communities torn apart, and displaced families.

The Osage Beach Board of Aldermen has approved a redevelopment plan for the lakefront project near the Grand Glaize Bridge. Plans for the 25-acre property include restaurants, a Ferris wheel, a waterpark with a retractable roof and a 400-room Marriott hotel.

Camden County Presiding Commissioner Ike Skelton has called the ATF unconstitutional. The statement comes after his brother was indicted for illegally selling guns to undercover ATF agents.

Southwest Missouri’s most popular tourist areas are the epicenter of a COVID-19 outbreak linked to the Delta variant that is responsible for making India second to the United States in coronavirus cases. All eight counties along a heavily traveled route from Branson to the Lake of the Ozarks are among the 30 local health jurisdictions with the highest rate of newly reported cases so far this month.

Thousands of motorcyclists are headed to Lake of the Ozarks this weekend for the 14th annual Bikefest. Public health officials warn the rally could become a “virus superspreader” event.